TORONTO — As he matures on the mound, Roy Halladay is turning into more of a strikeout pitcher.

Halladay struck out a career-high 14 to win his major league-leading ninth game, Alex Rios backed him with a home run and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Los Angeles Angels, 6-4, last night.

Now 32 and in his 12th major league season, Halladay said he's becoming "more crafty."

"We're doing different things now, kind of throwing everything to both sides which at times will give you a lot more takes and swings and misses," Halladay said. "That probably has more to do with it than anything.

"Stuff-wise I still feel good but being able to do different things and kind of change the way you pitch is essential if you're going to stay around a long time," Halladay added.

Halladay (9-1) threw his second complete game of the season, allowing four runs, no walks and seven hits to win his sixth straight decision. Working on an extra day of rest, he threw a career-high 133 pitches.

"He was a good as we've seen a pitcher in years, on both sides of the plate with good movement," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.

RED SOX 5, TIGERS 1:

Daisuke Matsuzaka (1-3) allowed one run and six hits over five innings to win for the first time this season and manager Terry Francona earned his 500th victory as visiting Boston defeated Detroit.

YANKEES 12, RANGERS 3:

Hideki Matsui and Jorge Posada hit three-run homers and Derek Jeter became the fourth active player to score 1,500 runs as host New York (31-21) beat Texas to claim best record in the AL. The Yankees' major league record streak of errorless games ended at 18 games when Posada committed a throwing error.

ATHLETICS 5, WHITE SOX 0:

Vin Mazzaro allowed three hits, walked four and struck out one in 6 1/3 innings to win his major league debut and Matt Holliday hit a three-run double to lead visiting over Chicago.

RAYS 6, ROYALS 2:

Matt Joyce hit a two-run double for a 4-2 lead in the sixth and added a two-run homer in the eighth in support of Andy Sonnanstine (4-5), who allowed two runs in 6 2/3 innings for host Tampa Bay.

TWINS 4, INDIANS 3:

Joe Mauer homered and had three RBIs to help Kevin Slowey (8-1) win his fourth consecutive start as host Minnesota won without Michael Cuddyer (strained right index finger) and Joe Crede (swollen left knee).

MARINERS 8, ORIOLES 2:

Erik Bedard (4-2) allowed one run and five hits in 6 1/3 innings against his former team and Ichiro Suzuki extended his hitting streak to a team-record 26 games as host Seattle beat Baltimore.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

MARLINS 10, BREWERS 3:

Cody Ross hit his fourth career grand slam and second this season, Dan Uggla belted a two-run shot and Burke Badenhop (4-2) pitched five scoreless innings in relief as host Florida beat Milwaukee.

NATIONALS 10, GIANTS 6:

Christian Guzman hit an RBI single to break a 5-all tie in six-run bottom of the eighth inning, helping Washington beat San Francisco to snap a six-game losing streak.

PIRATES 3, METS 1:

Zach Duke (6-4) allowed one run and eight hits in seven innings to lower his ERA to 2.62, and Jason Jaramillo hit his first major league homer, helping host Pittsburgh hand New York its third loss in four games.

BRAVES 6, CUBS 5:

Jeff Francoeur hit a tying two-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the ninth and Chipper Jones drove in the winning run with a 12th-inning single, helping Atlanta rally past Chicago.

CARDINALS 5, REDS 2:

Rookie Nick Stavinoha gave host St. Louis another key hit with a two-run, go-ahead double in the sixth and stand-in starter Brad Thompson (1-1) gave up two runs and five hits in five innings to beat Cincinnati.

ASTROS 3, ROCKIES 2:

Miguel Tejada, the NL's leading hitter coming in with a .353 average, tied the game in the ninth with an RBI single then hit a one-out solo homer off Josh Fogg (0-1) in the bottom of the 11th inning to lift Houston.

DODGERS 6, DIAMONDBACKS 5:

James Loney hit a tying three-run double in the bottom of the eighth inning and Casey Blake followed with an RBI single to cap a five-run rally as Los Angeles beat Arizona, which led 5-1 behind the two-hit pitching of Dan Haren.

PHILLIES 10, PADRES 5:

Raul Ibanez homered twice and drove in five runs, and left-hander Antonio Bastardo won his major league debut as visiting Philadelphia jumped on San Diego ace Jake Peavy (5-6), who left after one inning due to a viral upper respiratory infection.

NOTES

Indians: Cleveland shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera separated his left shoulder sliding into second in the first inning last night at Minnesota. He will undergo an MRI today.

Rays: Tampa Bay third baseman Evan Longoria left last night's home game against Kansas City because of tightness in his left hamstring. He will undergo an MRI today.